Movie Review: Sampo

Sampo a.k.a The Day the Earth Froze
Starring: Urho Somersalmi, Ivan Voronov, Anna Orotshko, Andris Oshin, Eve Kivi
Directors: Aleksandr Ptushko, Risto Orko
Suomi-Filmi Oy and Mosfilm, Finland and Soviet Union, 1959

The Finnish national epic Kalevala (collected by Elias Lönnrot) was made into film with Finnish and Soviet collaboration. In USA it was recut and dubbed into the Day the Earth Froze. The film uses Kalevala's Sampo poems quite loosely.

Lemminkäinen riding a log

Annikki

 Blacksmith Ilmarinen (Ivan Voronovis) is trying to forge Sampo, a mill that produces salt, grain and prosperity. Evil lady of Northland Louhi(Anna Orotshko) wants Sampo and captures Ilmarinen's sister Annikki (Eve Kivi). Lemminkäinen (Andris Oshin) and heroes of Kalevala go for rescue. Lemminkäinen and
Ilmarinen must survive from the tasks Louhi gives them such as ploughing field full of vipers. Louhi forces Ilmarinen to forge Sampo. After freeing Annikki, Lemminkäinen goes to get Sampo back. 

Evil lady of the Northland Louhi

Ploughing the field of vipers

Sampo

Later Louhi steals the Sun. Wise old Väinämöinen (Urho Somersalmi) leads the troops to war playing kantele (traditional harp-like instrument).  

Väinämöinen and the army of kantele players

The dialogue sounds funny using Kalevala metre (poems in Kalevala use a form of trochaic tetrameter). There are some funny props such as captured winds and magic boats. There are also steel horse and dancing bear cubs. At times the movie feels campy. The sceneries are good and colourful, and special effects are inventive for their age.

Sampo (the original version) is a rare Finnish/Russian fantasy gem, and recommended for fans of fantasy movies.

Rating: Very good